Television apparatus



Nov. 12, 1929.

s. T. SYPHRIT TELEVISION APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1928 dwz z BY JP 82% ATTORNEYU' Patented Nov. 12, 1929 v v UNITED STATES SAMUEL THOMAS SYPERIT, 01?

PATENT OFFICE TELEVISION .APIARATUS Application filed September 14, 1928. Serial No. 305,979.

My invention relates to improvements in television apparatus, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a television apparatus in which novel means is rovided for projecting a square beam of ight upon a photo-electric cell in such a manner as to attain a maximum of efliciency.

A further object is to provide a television apparatus in which the image transmitted may be controlled in such a manner as to effeet a maximum of sharpness.

A further object is to provide a television apparatus in which the transmitting and receiving units may be easily synchronized.

A further object is to provide a televisionapparatus which is exceedingly simple in construction, accurate in operation, and durable in construction.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly insection of a device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a topplan view partly in section of the device shown in .Figure 1, v

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail viewpartly in section of a portion of my device,

Figure 4 is a top plan view ofa portion of the device shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of the device shown in Figure 3.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a base 1 upon which a motor 2 is mounted.

A transmitting unit T is mounted upon one end of the base 1 and a receiving unit R is mounted upon the opposite end of the base. The motor 2 is provided with shaft portions 3 and 4 which are connected as a unit. Suitable supporting brackets 5 and 6 are secured to the base for supporting the shaft portions 3 and 4, respectively.

The shaft portions 3 and 4 are provided with integral spherical members 7 and 8, these members being shell-like in construction and provided with a series of slots 9 and 10. These slots are equally spaced about the circumference of each of the spherical members and are cut through the shell. Inner spherical members 11 and 12 are rotatably mounted within the spherical members 7 and 8, respectively. The spherical members 11 and 12 are provided with a plurality of slots 13 cut through the shell and equally spaced about their respective circumferences." The slots in the inner spherical members, it will be noted, are positioned at right angles to the slots in thespherical members 7 and 8.

' Suitable brackets 14 and 15 are provided for supporting the inner spherical members 11 and'12. A portion of the spherical members 7 and 8 is cutaway as at 16' and 17 to provide openings through which the inner spherical members may be inserted. The brackets 14 and 15 are provided with arms 18 and 19 which project into the spherical members 7 and 8 through the openings in the ends thereof. The arms 18 and 19 carry a stationary shaft 20 for rotatably supporting the inner spherical members 11 and 12. Since the construction of the transmitting and receiving units is identical, this part of the description will be confined to one of the units.

The shaft 20 may be of hollow construction for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. A box 21 is secured to the shaft 20,

as shown in Figures 3 and 5, and contains a and '4. Means for rotating the spherical members 11 and 12 consist of gears 25 and 26 mounted upon the shafts 3 and 4. These gears are in mesh with gears 27 and 28 disposed upon shafts 29 and 30, respectively. The shafts 29 and 30 are provided with suitable worms 31 and 32 which are operatively connected with worm gears 33 and 34 mounted One side base 1.

- inner spherical member 11.

upon shafts and 36. A worm 37 is mounted upon each of the shafts 35 and 36 and is in mesh with teeth 38 cut around the circumference of the inner spherical members 11 and 12, see Figure 4. The slots 13, it will be noted, form spaces between certain of the teeth 38.

In Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a suitable anplifier 39 which may be mounted upon the Suitable electrical connections 40 and 41 may be provided for electrically connecting the cells within the inner spherical members 11 and 12. These connections may be disposed within the hollow shafts 20, as shown in Figure 3. A suitable housing 42 may be disposed around each of the transmitting and receiving units, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Where the housings are used, a suitable lens 43 may be provided. The housings may be proportioned so as to place the lenses 43 in any desired position. i a

From the foregoing description of thevarious parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The housings 42, as well as the spherical members 7 and 8 and the inner spherical members 11 and 12, may be provided with a nonreflecting coating. If it is desired, the boxes 21 may be provided with a coating of white on the inside. Since the shafts 3 and 4 operate as a unit, it will be noted that the operation of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit is synchronized. The transmission mechanism for each of the units is identical in construction so that thesynchronism of thetwo units is easily attained. The receiving unit R may be provided with a suitable cell or neon tube 44. Since the operation of each unit is identical, the description will be confined to the transmitting unit. When the motor 2 is started, the spherical member 7 will of course rotate at the same speed as the shaft 3. This rotation of the spherical member 7 is at right angles to the rotation of the In operation, while one of the slots 9 is passing before and across one of the slots 13 through a plane intersecting the image projected through the lens 43, a square beam of light will pass through the outer and inner spherical members, through the opening 24 and upon the cell 22. Since the light which passes to the photo-electric cell will vary in accordance with the intensity of the light in the path of the projected image, it will be seen that this light in falling upon the cell will cause a greater or less amount of electricity to pass therethrough. The variable electric current thus produced may be transmitted to the receiving unit R. 1

The length fifthe slots in the spherical member 7 determines the width of the picture and the distance between the slots will determine the angle of exposure, also the height of the picture. The length of the slots in the inner spherical member 11 is substantially equal to the distance between the slots in the outer member. During the operation of the device, the slots in the outer spherical member will pass across the full length of one of the slots in the inner spherical member while the inner slots will rotate or move through an are substantially equal to the width of the slots in the inner member 11. Since light cannot reach the photo-electric cell through any two slots in the outer spherical member 7 at any one time, it will be seen that the light must necessarily pass through one of the slots in the outer spherical member 7 and one of the slots in the inner spherical member 11 in a square beam at the intersection of the two slots. In Figure 2, I have indicated diagrammatically at 45 an optical image placed before the lens 43 which may be transmitted to the receiving unit R and reproduced and seen through the lens 43.

I claim:

1. In a television apparatus, a pair of movable spherically shaped members operatively connected for movement indifferent directions, each of said spherically shaped members being provided with a plurality of slots, the slots in one member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in the other member and adapted to sweep over an image 2. In a television apparatus, a pair of movable members operatively connected for movement indifferent directions, one of said movable members being arranged to enclose the other of said movable members, each of said members being provided with a plurality of slots, the slots in one member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in the other member, said slots being adapted to project rays of light in a substantially continuous beam of light, said light sensitive electrically controlled means adapted to vary an electric current in proportion 'to the successive light values of said beam.

3. A device of the type described compris-' ing a pair of spherical members arranged to rotate in different directions with respect to each other, each of said spherical members bechronism for causing the slots in one of said spherical members to move transversely across the slots in the other of said s herical members, whereby rays of light rom an image will be caused to pass through an 0 ening formed the slots in a substantially continuous beam of light, said beam of light passing through the opening in said box and a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, the slots in the outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in said inner spherical member, said receiving unit comprising a retatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within the outer spherical member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, the slots in said outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in said inner spherical member, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said first named inner spherical member, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said second named inner spherical member,

means for electrically connecting said light sensitive electrically controlled means, and means for rotating the outer and inner spherical members of the transmitting unit in synchronism with the rotation of the outer and inner spherical members of the receiving unit.

5. A television apparatus comprising a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, said transmitting unit comprising? a rotatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots out therein around its circumference, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within said first named member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, the slots in the outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in said inner spherical member, said receiving unit comprising a rotatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within the outer spherical member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference, the slots in said outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the slots in said inner spherical member, 'light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said first named inner spherical member, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said second named inner spherical member, means for electrically connecting said light sensitive electrically controlled means, means for rotating the outer and inner spherical members of the transmitting unit in synchronism with the rotation of the outer and inner spherical members of the receiving unit, and a "housing arranged for enclosing the transmitting unit and the receiving unit, each of said housings being provided with a lens for pro jecting light rays from an image in the direction of the outer and inner rotatable spherical members.

6. A television apparatus comprising a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, said transmitting unit comprising a rotatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference and in parallelism with the axis of said outer spherical member, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within said first named member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with the axis of said inner spherical member, the axis of said outer spherical member being dis osed at. an angle with respect to the axis of said inner spherical member, a box disposed within said inner spherical member and having an opening therein, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said box, said receiving unit comprising a rotatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within the outer spherical member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, the axis of said outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of said inner spherical member, a box disposed within said inner spherical member and having an opening therein, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said box, means for electrically connecting said light sensitive electrically controlled means, and transmission means for rotating the outer and inner spherical members of said transmitting unit in synchronism with the rotation of outer and inner spherical members of said receiving unit.

7. In a television apparatus, a rotatable outer'spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, arotatable inner spherical member disposed within the outer spherical member and having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within said'inner spherical member, and means for rotating said outer and inner spherical members in synchronism, whereby the movement of a slot in said outer spherical member when passing a slot in said inner spherical member will cause a substantially rectangular beam of light from an image to be projected onto said light sensitive electrically controlled means.

8. In a television apparatus, a rotatable outer. spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, an inner rotatable spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein around its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, the axis of rotation of said outer spherical member being disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of said inner spherical member, a housing disposed within said inner spherical member and having an opening therein, light sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within the housing, the r0- tation of said outer and inner spherical members being adapted to cause a substantially continuous beam of light to pass through.

said slots, through the opening in said housing and to fall uponsaid light sensitive electrically controlled means, and means' for rotating the outer and inner spherical members in synchronism.

9. In a television apparatus, a rotatable outer spherical member having a plurality of slots cut therein about its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, a rotatable inner spherical member disposed within said outer spherical member and having a plurality of slots cut therein about its circumference in parallelism with its axis of rotation, and light sensitive electrically controlledmeans disposed within said inner spherical member, the axis of rotation of said outer spherical member being disposed at right angles tothe axis of rotation of said inner spherical member, whereby a substantially rectangular beam of light will be projected upon said light sensitive electrically controlled means during the movement of one of said slots transversely of one of the other of said slots.

10. In a televisionv apparatus, a pair of movable spherically shaped members having slots therein arranged for sweeping over an image and adapted to project a beam of light upon a light-sensitive electrically controlled cell, one of said members being disposed substantially Within the other of said members, and light-sensitive electrically controlled means disposed within the inner memher and adapted to vary an electric current in proportion to the successive light values of said beam.

SAMUEL THOMAS SYPHREIT. 

